Applications Using Applied Behavior Analysis

1. Applications Using Applied Behavior Analysis

2. Overview • Many areas where ABA is used • Medicine • Business • Educational / School Settings • Group Homes • Senior Centers • Environmental Applications • Prevention Programs • Other

4. Key Factors • Approach is the key, not the intervention per se • Emphasis on applying principles found within Experimental Analysis of Behavior • Emphasis on empiricism • Emphasis on single subject or quasi experimental designs (can use others) • Emphasis on applied problems • Others

5. Medicine • Many applications • Used to increase medicine compliance • Used to increase exercise or reduce weight • Used with individuals who are experiencing eating disorders • Used with pain control • Used to increase teeth brushing and flossing behavior • Using to increase self-exams for breast and testicular cancer

6. Some Techniques Used • Prompts for dental flossing • Self-Monitoring for hypertension • Social reinforcement techniques for pain control • Contingency contracts for anorexia and bulimia • Punishing techniques for vomiting in infants • Token economy for individuals with diabetes • Reinforcement techniques for following special diets

7. Business • Used in reducing work place accidents • Increasing worker productivity making products • Increasing cold call contacts by sales representatives • Others

8. Examples • Use of token economies and prompts to: • Reduce the number of workplace accidents • Reduce safety hazards • Reduce time away from work • Use of reinforcement techniques to: • Increase worker productivity • Increase cold contacts • Increase use of wellness programs • Enhance job interviewing skills

9. Other Examples • Use of prompts to: • Reduce workplace accidents • Increase interactions with new clients • Change other behaviors • Use of reinforcers to: • Increase team productivity • Reduce team conflict • Others

10. Educational / School Applications • Probably used most often and often inappropriately • Use of tokens to increase learning / performance • Use of self-evaluation to check quiz answers to increase test scores • Use of self – reinforcement with goal setting • Use of self-instruction as verbal prompts to learn a new behavior. • Use of peer reinforcement for good handwriting behavior.

11. Other Examples • Use of self recording, self monitoring, and reinforcement to increase grades • Use of prompts to assist students with math problems • Use of social reinforcers and extinction to reduce classroom problem behavior. • Use of token economies to increase academic performance across 300 classrooms

12. Issues • Problem in School Settings - Time • Must use evaluation • May need to have help in recording or monitoring behavior. • Can be done • Can be very effective for many behaviors. • Can be extremely effective to increase academic performance.

13. Institutional Settings • ABA is used a lot in training individuals to function independently • Reinforcement used to keep clothes picked up and home clean • Prompts for appropriate behavior • Prompts and reinforcement for taking medications • Many others

14. Advantage • Can be used individually or for the entire home or center. • Is extremely effective • Must know the applicable laws • Be knowledgible about problems that can occur when removing reinforcers and have contingencies in place

15. Environmental Applications • Prompts to place trash in garbage receptacles • Reinforcement for not speeding with trucking companies • Reinforcement for energy conservation • Prompts for employees and guests to wash their hands after using the bathroom • Prompts for physicians and nurses to wash their hands before and after examining patients • Monetary reinforcers for liter pickup • Monetary reinforcers for waste recycling

16. Conclusions • Can be done with a wide variety of behavior • Can be used in a wide variety of situations • Use the basic principles • Identify the target behavior • Do a functional analysis if appropriate • Monitor the behavior • Design and implement an intervention • Monitor during and following the intervention